Irish Health Officials Warn of “Critical” Covid Situation in Hospitals

IRELAND’S Health Service Executive (HSE) has warned that a surge in Covid-19 cases is leading Irish hospitals into a “critical” situation of oversaturation.

Following a catastrophic surge in cases after Christmas that saw Ireland briefly suffer the world’s fastest-growing virus outbreak, health officials and unions have warned that the country’s hospitals are facing a “critical” situation with Covid-19.

The HSE’s Chief Executive, Paul Reid, said that health workers were “battling to hold the levels of care that we value” in order “to save lives” as hospitals across the country become overwhelmed with cases.

There are currently 650 patients in critical care due to Covid-19, with 215 in Intensive Care Units and 436 receiving advanced respiratory assistance. The country’s hospitals could soon become overwhelmed with virus patients without the facilities to treat them adequately.

The Irish Midwives and Nurses Organisation has slammed the government for the huge volume of infections contracted by health workers, with over 5000 frontline staff having tested positive for Covid. The union demanded that safety measures to protect workers be raised “immediately”, saying the situation in hospitals is “out of control”.

Ireland’s Chief Medical Officer, Tony Holohan, has said that although Ireland was beginning to flatten its curve of infections the country would keep restrictions until at least June. The Taoiseach (PM), Micheal Martin, indicated that lockdown measures are expected to stay in place for the first half of this year as Ireland battles its disastrous third Covid wave.

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